Praise for Odyssey... and Rooftops
of Bavaria
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"...[the
Louvre Pyramid photograph] you made for me...is certainly a very unusual shot, in
which both the glass and steel of the pyramid exterior, and the people within it, can be seen in the same light. I've never seen another such glimpse. I very much appreciate having it. Best regards," --I.M. Pei, Architect
"...Perhaps I may briefly tell why your poster so attracted me...I have been married to my wife, a Bavarian, for 37 years.
Our son and daughter were born in Bavaria, and are attached to their heritage...More than any of your bigger exhibits, your
poster, for me, caught an essential dimension of the spirit of Bavaria. Thank you once again for capturing the spirit of Bavaria so aptly in your photographs." --Paul J. Dine, Albert Dorman Honors College, New Jersey Institute of Technology
"Odyssey [is] a remarkable book of
photographic art, a visual voyage through the multifarious images
[of] everyday life...city, country, land, sea, air -- whatever the view or viewpoint, the photographs are vibrant in color, palpable in texture, and masterful in shape. In
spirit, they are calmly powerful, and powerfully calm." --Lois Street,
in The Ridgefield Press; New Canaan Advertiser; The Darien Times; The Wilton Bulletin; The Redding Pilot;
The Weston Forum; The Lewisboro Ledger
"The scene...like so many captured
by Michael K. Yamaoka's camera, speaks of tranquillity and harmony, a oneness with
nature. The young man whose fly-fishing line is caught in mid-whip is the artist's son, Kenneth Kagetaka Yamaoka.
The pastoral perfection gives no hint of future tragedy. [But] in the devastating grief that flowed from the 20-year-old Yale
student's death, Michael Yamaoka fashioned a work of art that is a tribute to his son
[and] also a father's own remarkable career and talents." --Lance Ringel, in The Stamford Advocate; The Greenwich Times
"Mike Yamaoka's camera captures the moment in slices of New York life and scenery. Even his camera angle
slants images to his own purpose for example in portraits of cut and dried buildings. His
pictures look straightforward, but guide us to an understanding of the character of this city, through his use of straight
lines, circles, monotone and color, nature, family, and the four seasons." --Ryoichi Miura, in The Yomiuri America
"Photographer Michael Yamaoka's
new book Odyssey: A 35 Year Photographic Journey, serves not only as a collection of his life's work, but
as a tribute to the fragility of life. His son Kenneth was killed in a tragic auto
accident at the age of 20. From shots of the Empire State Building reflected in a puddle on a New York City street, to views
of the sky from his old photo studio, Mr. Yamaoka presents an interesting perspective of everyday
images." --Patrick Gorman, in The Patent
Trader
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